Automobile-curtain



e. E. BIS-HOP.

AUTOMOBILE'CURTAIN.

APPLICATION FI'L ED OCT. 31,1917.

1 $%3 %39 Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

Z SHEETS SHEET I.

fkwezz for m aifarz? 5 G. E. BISHOP.

AUTOMOBILE CURTAIN.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3|. 1917.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fnvezz for GEORGE-E. BISHOP, F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

AUTOMOBILE-CURTAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

Application filed October 31, 1917. Serial No. 199,444.

of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements inAutomobile-Curtains, of

which the following is 'a specification, the

principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode inwhich I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguishit from other inventions.

My invention relates to automobile curtains and particularly to thatclass of such devices which are designed to be carried upon theautomobile doors, to open and shut with the doors, to be readily placedon or removed from the doors, and to be easily collapsed so that thesame may be conveniently rolled or folded up. More particularly, myinvention relates to a collapsible curtain of the class described whichmay be more conveniently stretched into its taut position or more easilycollapsed than any other curtain of which I am aware.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailcertain means embodying my invention, the disclosed 'means, however,constituting but one of various mechanical forms 1n which the principleof the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

Figure 1 represents-the body and top of an automobile of which theheading above the doors is covered by two of my improved curtains, thefront door being shown open to disclose the inside of said curtain;Figs.

2 and 3 represent, upon an enlarged scale, integral and partly collapsedconditions, respectively, of one of the curtains shown 1n Fig. 1, thetransparency in the lateral portion thereof being omitted; Fig. 4represents a central vertical longitudinal section of a portion of thetwo-part stretching member forming one element of the collapsiblecarrier for supporting the fabric, and a longitudinally movable sleeveor ferrule mounted upon said element, for the purposes hereinafter fullydescribed; and Fig. 5 represents a transverse section taken in the planeindicated by the lines V-V,F1g. 4.

An automobile body of standard design is indicated by the ordinal 1provided with a canopy 2 and the usual doors 3. A foldmg frame forsupporting the canopy and forming the subject-matter of anotherapplication for U. S. Letters Patent, Serial No. 247,295, is suggestedby the ordinal 2 Fig. 1. Upon said doors 3 are supported my new andimproved curtains 4 comprising the fabric 5 provided with transparencies6, the curtain portion laterally of the door being formed with orwithout a transparency, as desired. Said fabric is carried upon acollapsible frame comprising strengthening members 7 and 8 which holdthe fabric 5 tautfrom front to rear, said members 7 and 8 belngpreferably incorporated within the fabric and near the upper and loweredges,

respectively, as plainly shown in the drawings. A stretching member isprovided, comprlsing two parts 9 and 10, the same bemg suitable rodmembers adapted to abut at their outer ends when the curtain is taut, asplainly shown in Fig. 4. Said stretching rod parts are of differentdiameters and are respectively hinged to the upper and lowerstrengthening members 7 and 8. The lower rod member 10 is formed with asupporting member 12 adapted to fit within a suitable round socketformed in the automobile door, said supporting portion being formed withan angular grip portion 11, as plainly shown in the drawings. 4

The invention further consists in convenient means for holding theabutting outer ends of the rod parts 9 and 10 together when it isdesired to keep the curtain taut, and to conveniently release said rodparts from said holding means when it is desired to collapse the curtainin order that said parts 9 and 10 may be conveniently rolled or foldedup within the respective edges of the curtain adjacent to thestrengthening members 7 and 8. It will be noted that the outer end ofthe rod 9 is formed with a head 14, said head being of greater diameterthan the rod portion 9 proper so that a shoulder 13 is formed thereon,as plainly shown in Fig. 4. It is the outer face of this head 14 whichabuts the outer end of the rod part 10. Surrounding the rod part 9 andlongitudinally movable thereon is a sleeve on ferrule 15 having a wallof greater thickness at its upper portion than at its lower portion, thedifference in the thicknesses of said wall portions being equal to thedifference in the diameters of the rods 9 and 10, so that the sleeve 15rests upon the flange 13, thus depending from the rod member 9, asplainly shown in Fig. 1, and cannot be moved down farther upon the rod 9than is allowed by the contact of said head 14 and the upper wall ofsaid sleeve. The inner surface 16 of the lower part of the sleeve 15 isadaptedto receive the rod 10 and thus hold said rods against movementrelative to each other or relative to the curtain fabric 5. When it isdesired to collapse the curtain, the sleeve 15 is raised upon the rod 9and off from the rod 10 so that the latter is released. When it isdesired to assemble the curtain, the sleeve 15 is so disposed upon therod part 9 as to receive at its freezend the outer end of the rod 10disposed in any convenient position for assembling, as illustrated inFig. 3, and the rod parts 9 and 10 straightened up into theposition-shown in Fig. 4:, the sleeve 15 automatically traveling up therod 9 as such straightening proceeds until the two rod parts 9 and 10are in perfect alinement, or in other words, until the curtain is taut,when the sleeve will drop down over the rod part 10 to hold the rods inalinement and to maintain the integrity of the curtain.

My improved curtain comprises the valance portion shown, described andclaimed by me in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,244,692, issued October 30,1917 and consisting of the upper member portions 18 and 18, the formerof which is free from the partof the curtain portion 5 proper disposedabove the door and the latter of which is integral with the portion 17of the curtain which is disposed laterally of the door so that the doormay open, as plainly shown in Fig. 1, without disturbing the valanceportion 18, the curtain as a whole being secured to the automobile bodyby the fasteners 19 and 19'. The edge of the curtain opposite the edge17, i. e., the rear edge, in the exemplification of my invention shownin the accompany-.

ing drawings, is formed of a portion 20 adapted to overlap contiguousportions of the automobile side inclosures, as plainly shown. in Fig. 1.

Particular attention is called to the advantages of the above-describedcurtain carrier construction when the lines of the lateral edges of thetop and the body of the automobile do not fall in the same verticalplane which is very often the case. Under this condition, the rod partsforming the stretching member of my improved construction turn in thedepending sleeve, as the automobile door is opened and closed, and thusequalize the induced strains so the severity of the latter is'taken offof the carrier and fabric.

What I claim is:

1. In an automobile curtain, the combination with suitable curtainfabric; of a twopart rod for stretching the same, the two parts of saidrod being absolutely independent of each other and respectivelyconnected to said fabric, and means mounted upon one of said rod parts,longitudinally movable thereon, and adapted in certain positions to holdthe ends of said parts in contact to maintain the integrity of thecurtain and in other positions so positioned as not to restrain thefree, independent movement of said rod parts, whereby the curtain can becollapsed;

2. In an automobile curtain, the combination with suitable curtainfabric; of strengthening means therefor, and a twopart rod forstretching the same, the two tion with suitable curtain fabric; of acol-1 lapsible frame for supporting the latter, said frame comprisingstrengthening members incorporated with said fabric, a twopartstretching member of which the parts are relatively unconnected andrespectively pivoted at one end to two of said strengthening members,said parts being of such lengths and so constructed as to abut at theirouter ends to effect the integrity of the curtain, and means mountedupon one of said stretching member parts, longitudinally movablethereon, and adapted in certain positions to hold the abutting ends ofsaid parts in contact to maintain the integrity of the curtain and inother positions so positioned as not to restrain the free independentpivotal movement of said rod parts, whereby the curtain can becollapsed.

4. In an automobile curtain, the combination with suitable curtainfabric; of a collapsible frame for supporting the latter, said framecomprising strengthening members incorporated with said fabric, atwopart stretching member of which the parts are relatively unconnectedand respectively pivoted at one end to two of said strengthric; a pairof oppositely disposed strengthening members incorporated thereinadjacently the upper and lower edges thereof, respectively; a pair ofindependent rod members respectively hinged to said strengtheningmembers, adapted to stretch the fabric, and abutting at their outer endstudinally movable thereon to receive and 10 confine or to release theother rod member.

Signed by me,

this 27th day of October,

GEORGE E. BISHOP.

